The document outlines eight common internal distractions that impact study focus, including self-doubt, anxiety, fear, worry, ego, hunger, and fatigue, along with solutions for each. To improve study efficiency, it suggests practical strategies like positive affirmations, breathing exercises, and maintaining a healthy diet. Additionally, it encourages seeking support from student services for personalized strategies to overcome these distractions.

1. How to stay
focused on study:
8 internal distractions and how to avoid them

2. Not all study distractions consist of games, family,
Facebook or birds chirping outside. Throughout
your degree, you may experience thoughts and
emotions such as self-doubt, anxiety and hunger,
which can impact on your ability to have a
productive and efficient study session.*
To help you achieve your study goals, we’ve come
up with a list of 8 of the most common internal
study distractions you may encounter during your
time at university, and how to overcome them.
*Source: Adult Student.com

3. General study mood
Can’t seem to find the motivation to start
your study for the day? Don’t know where
to start? Just not in the mood for studying?
Not wanting to study could make you
get out of your chair and wander around
the house, therefore making you break
concentration and lose precious
study time.

4. General study mood
Solution: Before starting a study session, go
to the bathroom, eat some brain food and
drink a glass of water. Make sure you are
well-rested and set your desk and chair up
so you’ll be comfortable.

5. Self-doubt
Doubting your ability to succeed can lead
you into a downward spiral that makes
concentrating on anything else impossible.

6. Self-doubt
Solution: Stop right there.
Get rid of any negative thoughts and
replace them with positive ones.
Rather than thinking ‘I’m not going to pass’,
think ‘Yes, I can do this!’

7. Anxiety
In the lead up to assessment everyone
gets nervous and anxious, which can be
distracting and harmful to your study.

8. Anxiety
Solution: Try taking 2 minutes at the
beginning of each study session to focus on
breathing slowly and calming yourself down.
Break study sessions into smaller chunks to
avoid feeling overwhelmed. Listen to a few
relaxing tunes while reviewing your notes.

9. Fear
Fear often causes the ‘fight or flight’
response. Your heart rate increases,
adrenaline starts coursing through you and
the urge to run can become
almost unbearable.

10. Fear
Solution: Why not put that urge to fly to good
use and go for a run before your study
session? When those endorphins kick in, your
fear will instantly turn into something more
positive! Still feeling nervous or fearful? Know
there is support out there and that you can
find it at USQ Student Services.

11. Worrying
While it is hard not to worry about
upcoming exams and assignments,
worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you
something to do, but doesn’t get
you anywhere.

12. Worrying
Solution: When you start to worry about
something, take a few minutes and focus on
breathing calmly or chat to a friend. Write down
what it is that is worrying you and brainstorm
ways to overcome each of those concerns.
If you’re still looking for a way to calm those
racing thoughts, download these
free colouring in designs and
get creative!

13. Trying the solutions to these internal
distractions will help you regain focus
on your studies and achieve
better results.

14. Ego
Having confidence is great, but
believing in yourself is even better!
Having a big ego can sometimes distract you
and cause you to make a mistake.
Assuming you know everything already
when studying for assessment can ruin your
chance of learning.

15. Ego
Solution: Challenge yourself to learn
something you didn’t know before and be
open to new ideas. Even if you’re confident
you’ll remember everything you’ve studied,
do yourself a favour and go through your
notes again anyway. You never know, you
could thank yourself later!

16. Hunger
Mmmm … food. If you’re hungry, it will
be hard to focus on your studies because
you are more likely to be distracted by the
constant urge to wander into the kitchen
and graze.

17. Hunger
Solution: If you find yourself getting
distracted by the thought of food when
you should be studying, try keeping a water
bottle and healthy snack on your desk.

18. Fatigue/Sleepiness
Getting tired while studying and giving
in to the urge to have a 20-minute nap is
one of the main distractions and forms of
procrastination students face. If you are tired,
it is difficult to maintain focus. Reading pages
and pages of material can easily put you to
sleep if you are already feeling fatigued.

19. Fatigue/Sleepiness
Solution: Pick a time to study when you are
less likely to be tired. Rather than going for a
nap in the middle of your study session, make
a habit of taking frequent breaks by walking
around or even jogging on the spot for a few
minutes to get the blood
pumping again.

20.
social.usq.edu.au
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If these internal distractions are making you your own worst
enemy when it comes to study, try the solutions we've
suggested here to regain focus on your studies and achieve
better results.
If you’d like to talk to someone about further strategies
to overcome the internal distractions you’re experiencing,
contact USQ’s Student Services team for a free and
confidential chat.
For more tips on how to overcome bad study habits
such as procrastination, negativity and obsession, and to
learn the secret to staying motivated when it comes
to study, check out USQ’s Social Hub.